The gloves came off ahead of the Ashes when it emerged Australia's volatile batsman David Warner had thrown a punch at England's Joe Root in an ugly late-night incident in a bar.

Australia, already without injured captain Michael Clarke after being thrashed by England in the Champions Trophy on Saturday, were in disarray yesterday as they considered whether to send serial offender Warner home.

The Australian opening batsman was facing a disciplinary hearing last night and could be sent home even before the Ashes begin next month.

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Meeting his heroes: Adam has his picture taken with Joe Root (left) and Steven Finn

Having a good time: Fan Adam Wilbourn meets Stuart Broad at Walkabout on Saturday night as Jonny Bairstow pulls a ridiculous face in the background and Chris Woakes (back left) smiles to himself

Venue: The Walkabout on Broad Street in Birmingham

Root was asked by England if he
wanted to go to the police after he was attacked by Warner at the rowdy
Walkabout Bar in Birmingham's Broad Street as players from both teams
drank into the early hours.

But he declined to take any official
action and instead accepted Warner's apology when the Australian rang
him on Sunday hours after the incident.

Warner, who was in trouble only last
month for a foul-mouthed Twitter rant, was dragged away from Root by
teammate Clint McKay as what started out as a good-natured exchange
between opposing players in the Australian-themed bar turned ugly
between 1.30am and 2.30am on Sunday.

The Australian was with a group of
team-mates invited to the bar by the International Cricket Council while
Root, who entered the bar with at least two team-mates, was celebrating
England beating the old enemy at Edgbaston on Saturday with the team
management's blessing.

Root, 22, had put on a comic green and
gold wig and Australia privately claimed yesterday Root upset Warner by
moving the wig down his face to imitate a Hashim Amla-style beard. That
was denied by England, who insist Root did not behave provocatively.

Warner, who also angered Australia
with his attitude towards fitness on their tour of India, swung a punch
at Root which, onlookers said, landed on his shoulder.

Comforting: Warner receives a hug from Phil Hughes and bring the drinks on at Edgbaston on Wednesday

In the dug out: Warner watches on as Australia bat against New Zealand

David Warner fact file

Age: 26

Batting style: Left-handed

Role: Opening batsman

Test debut: December 1, 2011 v New Zealand

Record this summer:

v England 9 runs v India 0 runs v West Indies 0 runs

First Australian in 132 years to be selected for national team in any format without experience in first-class cricket when he was picked in Twenty20

News of the clash emerged yesterday
when Cricket Australia revealed they had dropped Warner for the
Champions Trophy match against New Zealand for breaching their code of
behaviour.

Their statement said Warner was
'allegedly involved in a physical altercation with an England player'
and faced a further disciplinary hearing to decide his fate.

That was followed by a bullish
response by England, who had been informed of the incident by Root on
Sunday but waited until after the players' two days off to investigate.

'The ECB confirms that David Warner
initiated an unprovoked physical attack on a member of the England team
in a Birmingham bar following England's 48-run victory,' said the
statement.

Unperturbed: Joe Root bats in the nets on Wednesday, seemingly unconcerned about the furore surrounding David Warner's alleged attack

CONN WARNING FOR WARNER

David Warner's Twitter sparring partner Malcolm Conn has warned the batsman he has 'let a lot of people down" with his latest indiscretion.

Journalist Conn told Sky Sports News: 'You hope that he sees the error of his ways and that he realises he's got broader responsibilities and that he's let a lot of people down.

'He's let his country down, he's let his team-mates down, he's let the cricket-loving public of Australia down.

'In Australia there's a lot of high-profile sports competing for supporters. I feel cricket has been losing the battle against the football codes (rugby and Australian rules) now for 20 years and when you've got people behaving in this way it really puts the game in a bad light.'

'Warner has admitted behaving
inappropriately and has apologised to the player involved, who has
accepted the apology. Following a full investigation the England team
management has concluded the England player was in no way responsible
for nor retaliated to the attack. ECB has concluded this is a matter for
Cricket Australia.'

A spokesperson later emphasised no England player was drunk or behaved inappropriately in public.

Root appeared unaffected during a training session at The Oval yesterday ahead of today's group match against Sri Lanka.

Stand-in Australia captain George
Bailey said: 'It's disappointing, but it's a very minor incident and
it's being dealt with in-house. He took it on the chin. His attitude
around the group today was outstanding. No pun intended, sorry.

'I love playing cricket with him. I
love his enthusiasm, his energy around the group. the way he plays. I
wish I had the talent he does.'

England captain Alastair Cook said:
'Clearly we are disappointed the incident happened but we have
investigated it and don't think we've done anything wrong. It's a shame
it's happened because it's marred a good win but it's time to move on.

'Our conduct as players in the England
team is vitally important to us. We are aware of how lucky we are to
wear the England shirt.'

Putting on the helmet: Root gets his head gear on before batting in the nets

All in hand: Root cuts a relaxed figure in the nets on Wednesday morning

Gloves are on: But Root is just wearing them for catching practice

Altercation: Root (right) was out in Birmingham following England's win over Australia earlier on Saturday

'They were in the VIP area,' said
Creighton of the England players. 'You just see a swing and Root moves
backwards and that's it. The door staff walked over but didn't have to
intervene.

'Warner's face is well known to us in
here. The England players left in good spirits and Warner left soon
afterwards after paying his small bar tab of £32.70.'

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds
had a verbal clash with England's Ashes hero Steve Harmison in the same
Walkabout Bar back in 2005.

First down: Shane Watson walks back to the pavilion after being caught behind against New Zealand

Keep on running: Phil Hughes is run out by Martin Guptill (right)

Wade down: The Aussie opener walks off the pitch after being given out lbw to Nathan McCullum

Not such a wonderful life: Australia's stand-in captain George Bailey walks off after being bowled by Nathan McCullum

Cry of anguish: Mitchell Marsh reacts to being out at Edgbaston

Safe hands: Mitchell McClenaghan catches James Faulkner

Late flurry: Glenn Maxwell hits a six in his cameo near the end

ENGLAND V AUSTRALIA: BUST-UPS

BODYLINE

England captain Douglas Jardine devised arguably the most controversial of all cricket tactics to combat the great Donald Bradman during the Ashes series of 1932. His bowlers - in particular Harold Larwood - repeatedly bowled fast, short deliveries which bruised the Australian batsmen. The tactic sparked an international outcry and a row which reached governmental levels.

BOTHAM/CHAPPELL

Tensions ran high when Ian Botham and his opposite number Ian Chappell clashed in a Melbourne hotel in 1977. Supposedly Botham repeatedly asked Chappell to stop criticising England, before throwing a punch. The pair were pulled apart but continued to trade insults for years, with Botham saying of Chappell: 'As a human being, he is a non-entity.'

PONTING RUN-OUT

Australian captain Ricky Ponting was already feeling the pressure during the 2005 Ashes series, and he finally snapped when he was run out by England substitute fielder Gary Pratt at Trent Bridge. As he left the field Ponting screamed and swore up at the England dressing room, accusing them of using a specialist replacement. England won by three wickets.

LILLEE'S METAL BAT

Dennis Lillee walked out with a controversial metal bat in the middle of the 1979 Ashes test in Perth. Although it was clearly a publicity stunt and did little to boost Lillee's batting, the bat provoked a furious reaction from England captain Mike Brearley and led to a lengthy discussion over its legality by the umpires before the match was allowed to continue.

SNOW JOKE

England bowler John Snow was warned for short-pitching bowling after striking Australian batsman Terry Jenner on the head during the 1970-71 Ashes encounter in Sydney. Snow was jostled by a fan and had bottles thrown at him before captain Ray Illingworth led England from the field in protest. They eventually returned to win by 62 runs and regain the Ashes.